Once I had my first child, the concept of “free time” vanished. I think all new moms experience this phenomenon. What’s unique is the different ways in which we adapt to this change and manage to get things done—from meeting work deadlines, to making dinner and getting to school events. Being in the trenches means learning some time-saving hacks and solutions. My superpower, for example, is having a watch that pings my phone so I can instantly find it without running in circles searching for it every morning. I’m also into outsourcing parts of my beauty routine—for instance, I plan on doing Credo’s “clean swap” program this spring, and letting one of their in-house estheticians pick out natural alternatives for my go-to skincare products (so easy, and it can even be done by phone, without having to leave the house. #Genius).

Ultimately, saving time on the little stuff frees you up to focus on parenting from a saner, more mindful place. With that intention, we talked to busy moms who run their own businesses and have kids in the mix—including our very own Clémence von Mueffling—to find out how they optimize their time so they can focus on what matters.

Beauty

“Masks have become an absolute must for me. And while they’re not a ‘speedy’ fix, I find that I can apply one, sit down with the kids for reading time, prep for dinner, tidy up the apartment, or even just relax. When I take care of my skin on this deeper level, it needs less day-to-day maintenance. Plus, there are masks to address everything, so I can get my fix whether I’m dry, congested, or just need a good exfoliation.” – Cindy DiPrima Morisse, co-founder of CAP Beauty

“[My] Noni Radiant Eye Oil has been a game changer – it instantly brightens the eye area and makes me look like I’ve had a restful eight hours sleep even if I haven’t. Also, wash your hair the night before and let it dry naturally overnight. You can take 30 minutes off your morning routine!” — Miranda Kerr, model and founder of Kora Organics

“I save time with a multi-purpose foundation like Just Skin, which is a 3-in-1 sun protection, foundation, and antioxidant moisturizer in a tube. What’s also wonderful about this product is how simple and fast it is to apply with my fingers! I can put it on in the back of a taxi on the way to a meeting.” — Olivia Chantecaille, creative director of Chantecaille

“On weekday mornings when we all are in a rush, or in the evenings when I’m trying to get everything organized and the children in bed at a reasonable hour, every minute that I dedicate to my beauty routine counts. I have discovered an ally in Nu Skin ageLOC LumiSpa. This device is used to cleanse your face in a very gentle yet efficient way. It doesn’t strip the skin, but massages it smoothly. The big bonus is that I can use the device under the shower and leave it there, plus the battery lasts forever!”— Clémence von Mueffling, founder of Beauty and Well-Being

Fashion

“I’m always running late, so I go for easy day dresses and slides, or any shoes like Vans that go on in an instant.”—DiPrima Morisse

“Outerwear can change everything. It’s such a simple, chic trick to have a great jacket or coat to throw on that pulls everything together. I am wearing a Brunello Cucinelli coat right now that I can put over anything and immediately look polished: I wear it over jeans, vegan leather pants, or even an Erdem dress if I’m headed out to a work event. This is a staple for transitional weather.” — Chantecaille

“A go-to item that instantly pulls together your look when you need to rush to drop off or pick-up quickly? Oversized cardigans from Celine — they’re perfect over jeans, dresses or gym gear.” — Kerr

Miranda Kerr

Food

“Rather than nut milks, I rely on homemade coconut milk because it actually requires NO soaking! Meredith Baird’s cookbook Coconut Kitchen has a great recipe. But it’s so straightforward. Just replace the nuts with unsweetened coconut flakes. No soaking required.”— DiPrima Morisse

“My daughter told me that she liked cooking together and she wanted to do it more often, so we just started a Foodstirs subscription. The box comes filled with most of the ingredients and any molds or shapes for making artistic and delicious treats. I also love that the ingredients are all natural and organic—the snickerdoodle blondies are delicious!”— Chantecaille

“My little boy loves to bake with me. We do a lot of vegan, gluten-free muffins that work really well for school lunches and snacks. I make full-sized muffins and cut them in half then freeze. By the time the kids have lunch, they’re thawed. Plus, I can sneak in a few extra ingredients like carrots and sweet potatoes to up the nutrient contents. Gwyneth Paltrow’s book, It’s All Good, has some great muffin recipes and some great ideas for kid-friendly dinners and so does Bonberi, Nicole Berrie’s blog devoted to wellness and healthful meals. Her vegan bolognese sauce is one of the most genius ways I’ve found to get loads of vegetables into everyone’s meal.” —DiPrima Morisse

Cindy DiPrima Morisse

Tech

“I use an app called TimeSlider that helps me co-ordinate any international business calls, and prevents me from missing any because of time zone changes.” — Kerr

“I’m not so digitally advanced, but having a shared family calendar has been key. My husband and I can both see it and update it on our phones. Everything from teacher conferences to evening work events, travel, and his weekend triathlons goes in there so we all know what free time is available. I’m no longer blindsided by days off from school!”—DiPrima Morisse

Olivia Chantecaille

Life

“For those days I absolutely can’t go to yoga, I keep a rebounder—which is similar to a mini trampoline—and a headstand bench at home. At least then I can get the blood flowing and move some energy around. And the kids love it too! Headstands and bouncing are instant fun.” — DiPrima Morisse

“I love to do fun art projects with my daughter, but as a busy working mother I don’t always have time to gather materials from Michaels. My big timesaver is my subscription to monthly craft kits that arrive at my doorstep! These boxes come with all of the necessary materials, as well as simple instructions that my daughter can follow. The themes are very educational and creative and we both have fun doing them together. A few of my favorites are KiwiCo and KidArtLits.”— Chantecaille

header image by Alvaro Reyes

Kari Molvar

Kari Molvar is a beauty writer and backstage reporter who has covered everything from high-performance skincare to hands-on makeup applications. She started her career in beauty as a senior editor at Allure and has since written for Vogue, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country and the Wall Street Journal among other print and digital publications. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two (DIY-obsessed) young daughters. Follow her @Kari_Molvar

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On weekday mornings when we all are in a rush, or in the evenings when I’m trying to get everything organized and the children in bed at a reasonable hour, every minute that I dedicate to my beauty routine counts.